Round Britian Tour - Day 7

We arrived last night after a very long day in the car. The Travelodge usually used for this trip was fully booked so we had to scour the internet for B&B's at a reasonable cost. We managed to find a pub which had motel style rooms out back which was just outside the wire of RAF Mildenhall. We all arose this morning a little later knowing we only had a 5 minute drive to our first site, we were a little disappointed on stepping outside to realise that it was completely light. You just don't consider that daylight timings will vary that much as you travel East in your own country.  So it was a very quick breakfast and into the car for our first target - Golden Pheasant. We were unsure if they would be about as the land owner had been threatening to kill them all as he was fed up of birders.  Whether they have all be exterminated is unknown but we certainly didn't manage to locate any.

We made a quick detour on route to the next location in the hope of connecting with a couple of Waxwings reported at Martlesham Heath at the Douglas Bader pub! We had to stop to ask directions to the pub when the satnav took us into a housing estate - Martlesham Heath - not the type of heath I was expecting. When we arrived we were greeted by a handful of birders who put us straight on to the Waxwing, the birds were in a small square which was surrounded by shops, the locals picking up their morning papers must have wondered who all the lunatics were in camo gear with high powered cameras.

103. Waxwing

103. Waxwing

103. Waxwing

103. Waxwing

 

As we were about to leave the Waxwing were joined by a Redwing and a couple of Fieldfare so had to share their berry bounty with these bigger bully boys.

101. Redwing

102. Fieldfare

Next stop was a tip from a local birder for a good location for both Tree Sparrow and Yellowhammer which were both target birds for today. Yellowhammer had avoided us for the whole trip so far so when we pulled up to the location it was a relief to find a large flock of Yellowhammer flitting between an arable field and some power lines, there was a large number of Red-legged Partridge around too.  In the same area we managed to seen about 15 Tree Sparrow along with Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch and a couple of Brambling.

With those in the bag it was off to North Warren to check out some Pink-footed Geese, we drove around looking for geese flocks which favour a certain area. We eventually located a field of geese comprising of numerous Barnacle Goose, a single Canada Goose and a handful of Greylag Goose, now Pint-feet though. The numbering is out again but I promise it all tallies up in the end...

98.Barnacle Goose

 

We now decided to try out for Black Redstart at a reliable location, the beach that runs in front of Sizewell B power station. About 50 meters from the car we'd located a female Black Redstart and almost missed the male sat about 5 meters from her, just as I brought my telescope to bear on him, off he went. They were very difficult to get within a decent range off.  We also had Kittiwake off the shore within a mixed gull flock. I managed to 'Phonescope' the male from some distance away:

 

99. Black Redstart

 





So that was another of todays targets in the bag, Next stop RSPB Minsmere, I couldn't believe that I'd never visited Minsmere before, what an amazing location. We traipsed right across to the far side of the reserve, almost back to Sizewell except for the estuary.... We were looking for Tundra Bean Goose and managed to located the flock they Greylags they were accompanying. There were a few smaller geese but as luck would have it they were sleeping and very distant. Eventually one popped it's head out for a look around and revealed a beautiful white facial plate above the bill, so now Bean Goose but a few bonus White-fronted Goose.

We set off back to the car but not without stopping for the Water Pipit showing ridiculously well directly in front of the Island Mere Hide, unbelievable and unmistakable. I was questioning a Rock Pipit back in Devon but with view like this there was no question.

100. Water Pipit

100. Water Pipit

 

We were also lucky enough to get some great views of a Red Deer (I think?), RSPB Minsmere apparently has the largest herd outside of Scotland. Not entirely sure what the impact these large animals have on the reed beds though? A bonus was a Muntjac Deer keeping the Red Deer company.

 

Red Deer

 

Muntjac Deer

 

I thought we were having a great day seeing some great species which I very rarely get to see, however Lee Evans wasn't too happy with the amount of birds we'd dipped. Next option was to go for a Long-tailed Duck which was showing on and off or Twite. We decided to go for the Twite which turned out to be epic...!  I think we went to Dingle Marshes and walked along a shingle beach for about 1.5 miles before we met a birder coming the other way who'd seen the Twite fly towards us! At this point we'd decided we couldn't go any further as it had nearly killed us walking that far, it was REALLY hard going and we were only half way, i.e. we had to go back yet...!  So an executive decision was made, we would have to dip the Twite. We had amazing views of a Common Guillemot on route back although the negative side is that it was probably ill being so close in - about 5 meters away. We did get some great views of Stonechat which is a bird nobody can tire of seeing.

 

We then went Orfordness in an attempt to locate the Rough-legged Buzzard, we managed it but only very distant views. This bird was a lifer for me so not the most memorable of views. We then had the choice of trying the Long-tailed Duck or to head up to Great Yarmouth in the hope of connecting with Shore Lark which were showing spectacularly well. Consensus was to try for the Shore Lark which pleased me as this too was a lifer. We arrived on site with little light remaining and spent until dark scouring the sand dunes but nothing came of it, another dip for the day.

 

The group decided to stay right on site at a seafront hotel and to try for the Shore Lark at first light.

 

I saw 60 species today of which I had one lifer (I dipped on 2). I'm now at 153 for the trip:

 

1. Collard Dove

2. Pheasant

3. Black-headed Gull

4. Woodpigeon

5. Red-legged Partridge

6. Carrion Crow

7. Great Black-backed Gull

8. Greenfinch

9. Goldfinch

10. Chaffinch

11. Tree Sparrow

12. Blue Tit

13. Brambling

14. Blackbird

15. Yellowhammer

16. Skylark

17. Waxwing

18. Fieldfare

19. Redwing

20. House Sparrow

21. Dunnock

22. Pied Wagtail

23. Barnacle Goose

24. Canada Goose

25. Lapwing

26. Greylag Goose

27. Little Egret

28. Coot

29. Mallard

30. Teal

31. Widgeon

32. Shovelar

33. Pintail

34. Herring Gull

35. Lesser Black-backed Gull

36. Magpie

37. Jackdaw

38. Mute Swan

39. Starling

40. Robin

41. Black Redstart

42. Kittiwake

43. Great Tit

44. White-fronted Goose

45. Water Pipit

46. Long-tailed Tit

47. Marsh Harrier

48. Common Guillemot

49. Stonechat

50. Redshank

51. Cormorant

52. Grey Heron

53. Shelduck

54. Tufted Duck

55. Kestrel

56. Rock Pipit

57. Goldcrest

58. Coal Tit

59. Rook

60. Rough-legged Buzzard